No chance for military involvement in politicsArmy chief Lt Gen Moeen U Ahmed yesterday said power takeover by the military or their getting involved in politics is out of the question as the army is not the "proper institution" to run the government.

EC now mulls door-to-door voter info collectionThe Election Commission (EC) is now actively considering sending its enumerators to door-to-door visits for collecting the particulars of prospective voters to start preparing simultaneously the voter

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Male workers' earning goes up, females' downMonthly income of the non-farm sector male workers marked a rise in the third quarter of the current fiscal year in comparison to the first quarter, but there is a decline in the earnings of their female

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Charges pressed against Dulu for JMJB linkPolice yesterday submitted charge sheet against 24 people including former deputy minister for land Ruhul Kuddus Talukhdar Dulu in a Natore magistrate court for abetting Jagrata Muslim Janata Bangladesh

Autopsy report finds marks of torturePolice yesterday submitted the autopsy report of Quamrul Islam Majnu, killed in a Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) action on May 18, to a Rajshahi metropolitan court that says injury marks were found on the

Culprits at large as no legal action yetDhaka University (DU) authorities are yet to untangle the nexus behind the large-scale admission forgery incidents that a university probe committee recently detected.

Pabna lawyer held for 'patronising' militantsRapid Action Battalion (Rab) yesterday arrested Advocate MR Khan, brother-in-law of militant outfit Allahar Dal chief Matin Mehedi, from his house in the district town allegedly for patronising militants

Wet past on Mars foundThe Mars rover Spirit has uncovered the strongest evidence yet that the planet used to be wetter than previously thought, scientists reported Monday.

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Falu sent back to jail after check-upDetained BNP leader Mosaddek Ali Falu was brought to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) Hospital from Kashimpur jail for medical checkup yesterday morning.

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Mobile phones banned in main customs officeBangladesh authorities have banned use of mobile phones in the nation's main customs house to stop traders offering bribes to government officials, an official said yesterday.

Youth shot dead in cityA group of unknown criminals gunned down a young man at Pallabi in the city yesterday. The dead Mohammad Shaon, 18, was a Benarasi sari weaver at Mirpur.

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BAF chopper makes emergency landing on charAn air force helicopter made an emergency landing on a char in Buriganga river in the city's Adabar area yesterday due to mechanical problems. However, the three crew members on board were safe.

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Iraq attacks kill 9 US troopsNine US troops were killed on a single day around Iraq, the US military reported yesterday, bringing to 85 the number of servicemen killed in one of the most violent months of the war so far.

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US-led 'war on terror' dividing worldFears stoked by the post-9/11 "war on terror" are increasingly dividing the world, Amnesty International said yesterday, while rapping rights abuses from China to Darfur and Russia to the Middle East.

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Bush says Laden ordered attacks outside IraqSeeking to rally support for the war, President Bush released intelligence asserting that Osama bin Laden in 2005 ordered creation of a terrorist unit to hit targets outside Iraq, including the United

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US Navy sends aircraft carriers near IranThe US Navy staged its latest show of military force off the Iranian coastline yesterday, sending two aircraft carriers and landing ships packed with 17,000 US Marines and sailors to carry out unannounced

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UK pushes for ex-KGB man's extraditionBritain said yesterday it was pushing forward with an extradition request for an ex-KGB bodyguard sought in the poisoning death of a former comrade, despite Moscow's insistence that it will not comply.

KCCI urged to help up local investment in Mongla EPZExecutive Chairman of the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority Brigadier General Ashraf Abdullah Yusuf called on the Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry yesterday to help increase local investment

US, China clash over reformsThe United States told China Tuesday that it was becoming impatient with the Asian giant's lagging economic reforms but Beijing warned Washington against politicizing their trade relations.

EC to give Bangladesh $270m in 4 yrsEuropean Commission (EC) Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Stefan Frowein Tuesday said trade and economic development would help Bangladesh meet the challenges of globalisation and lift more people out of destitution.

Symantec, Huawei to form joint ventureSymantec Corp and Huawei Technologies Co Ltd (Huawei) has announced to form a joint venture company to develop and distribute security and storage appliances for global telecommunications carriers and

Telenor to withdraw from NasdaqThe Norwegian telecommunications operator Telenor said Tuesday it would withdraw from the US high technology stock market Nasdaq because US regulations were too expensive and burdensome.

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India must deepen reforms to sustain growth: WTOIndia must carry out further reforms in agriculture, and open up the country's maritime transport and energy sector to competition if it is to sustain its "impressive" economic growth, the World Trade

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New chairman of Prime BankAzam J Chowdhury has been elected chairman of Prime Bank Ltd for two-year term with effect from June 1, 2007.

Cricket:Teams watch a day go byAfter a frustrating half Test-match in Chittagong due to rain interruption, Bangladesh and visiting Indian teams opted to relax on their return to Dhaka yesterday.

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Cricket:Moody gifted with a winWorld Cup finalists Sri Lanka gave their Australian coach Tom Moody an ideal goodbye here on Tuesday as they beat Pakistan by 115 runs in their third and final one day international.

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Cricket:Vaughan back for 2nd TestCaptain Michael Vaughan has been recalled to England's squad for the second Test against West Indies at Headingley starting on Friday.

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Cricket:Moore challenges WindiesWest Indies coach David Moore has said drawing the first Test against England will count for little if they go down to defeat in the second game of a four-match series starting at Headingley here Friday.

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Cricket:Abahani to play sans TusharAbahani's bid to have Tushar Imran for today's crucial Kai-Altech Premier Cricket Super League match against Victoria Sporting Club was turned down by the Bangladesh Cricket Board.

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Local SnippetsShamima Akhtar earned a deserving victory over International Women Master Rani Hamid in the Prime Bank second Women International Rating Chess tournament at the federation hallroom yesterday.

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Football:Tangail sneak into semisMohammed Raju fired four goals as Narayanganj trounced Khulna 5-1 in a Group B match of Western Union National Youth Football Championship final round at the Satkhira Stadium yesterday.

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Cricket:The magnetic wonderFor a man who's made a reputation as a bit of a loudmouth, Matt Prior was close to speechless as he faced the media on the second evening of his debut Test at Lord's.

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Cricket:'County hurting England'Former Yorkshire coach Wayne Clark says county cricket needs a radical overhaul if England are to avoid a repeat of the poor performances during the winter.

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Football:No solution to MU's Asia rowThe Asian Football Confederation (AFC) held a "cordial" meeting with Manchester United Wednesday but failed to resolve a lingering row over the Premier League champion's Asian tour.

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Football:Ribery, Quaresma on Bayern hit-listFrench World Cup star Franck Ribery and Portuguese midfielder Ricardo Quaresma top the list of players Bayern Munich want to sign to reverse their fortunes after a poor season, a report said on Wednesday.

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Cricket:Maninder held with drugsFormer Indian left-arm spinner Maninder Singh was granted bail on Wednesday by a Delhi court for allegedly being in possession of 1.

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Cricket:Qureshi to sue BBCA Pakistani journalist is seeking 50 million rupees (833,333 dollars) in damages from the BBC, claiming it inferred he was connected with the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer.

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Tennis:Williams scalped at IstanbulFrance's unseeded Aravena Rezai defeated Venus Williams to advance to the quarterfinals in the Istanbul WTA Tournament here on Wednesday.

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Cricket:Vincent to stay in NZNew Zealand batsman Lou Vincent has denied he has any short term plans to pull the pin on his international career and move to Australia.

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Tennis:Federer tipped for French successPete Sampras on Wednesday tipped world number one Roger Federer to win the French Open after his breakthrough victory over arch-rival Rafael Nadal on clay.

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Football:Ballack set for Germany returnGerman captain Michael Ballack looks set to make his return from injury after being named by Germany coach Joachim Loew on Tuesday in his squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against San Marino and Slovakia

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Football:Chelsea secure Sidwell for freeDeposed English Premiership champions Chelsea secured their first signing of the close season on Tuesday when they signed highly-rated defensive midfielder Steve Sidwell from rivals Reading on a freetransfer.

MoU to have positive impact on Bangladeshi workersUAE Labour Minister Dr Ali bin Abdullah Al Kaabi yesterday said the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with Bangladesh would have a positive impact on Bangladeshi workforce in the UAE labour market.

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Road crashes kill 2At least two people were killed in separate road accidents in Kishoreganj and Rajbari yesterday.

3 manpower agency officials arrestedMembers of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) arrested three managing partners of a manpower agency with forged visas and fake passports from Motijheel in the city on Tuesday, says a Rab press release yesterday.

Poet Nazrul's birth anniversary programmesMymensingh district administration has taken up a three-day programme to observe the 108th birth anniversary of National Poet Kazi Nazrul Islam at Darirampur in Trishal.

One killed in Satkhira blastOne of the miscreants was killed while blasting a series of bombs at a house at Magura village in Tala upazila, leaving four house inmates inured on Tuesday midnight.

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Concern over killing of six of a familyBangladesh Mahila Parishad yesterday expressed concern over killing of six people, including four women of the same family at Narsingdi and demanded exemplary punishment to the responsible people.

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IUBAT orientation ceremonyThe 44th orientation ceremony for students of all programmes of International University of Business Agriculture and Technology (IUBAT) will be held on its campus at Uttara in the city at 2:00 pm today,

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ETV not included in list as writ pending in HCPrivate TV channel ETV has not been included in the list of the 12 approved local TV channels as a writ petition is pending in the High Court over its transmission, the Information Ministry said in aclarification

Nari Samaj protests Jalil's statementSammilita Nari Samaj yesterday protested the statement of Awami League General Secretary Abdul Jalil opposing the Election Commission's proposal that women should account for 33 percent of members ofthe

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1,365 more heldPolice arrested 1,365 people on various charges across the country in 24 hours ending at 6:00am yesterday.

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Two drown in well in MymensinghTwo people, including a teenage boy, drowned after they fell into a well at village Babupur in Trishal upazila here yesterday afternoon.

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Bangladeshi journo wins UN MDG awardKhawaza Main Uddin, special correspondent of The New Age, has won the Asia-Pacific Millennium Development Goals Media runners-up award for his article that looked into the country's performance in achieving

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New chairperson of Lions Multiple District 315Md Omar Shafayat Kawsar MJF, district governor, Lions District 315 B-2 Bangladesh, has been elected the council chairperson of Lions Multiple District 315 Bangladesh for the year 2007-2008, says a press

3 bombs recovered at RUET, FaridpurA powerful bomb was recovered from in front of the main gate of Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET) Tuesday night, reports our RU correspondent.

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Fertiliser dealers at unions soonAgriculture Adviser Chowdhury Sajjadul Karim yesterday said fertiliser dealers would be appointed at union level to ensure its proper distribution.

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Bribery charge against KCC MayorLeaders of KCC Contractors' Welfare Association at a press conference at Khulna Press Club yesterday accused city Mayor Sheikh Tayebur Rahman of taking bribe in giving work orders for implementation of

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Municipal commissioner, fake DGFI man heldJoint forces yesterday arrested 4 persons including a municipality commissioner and a fake DGFI member for their alleged involvement in crimes from Matiranga and Manikchhari upazila in Khagrachhari.

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Allocate more funds for Satkhira in budgetSpeakers at a discussion in the town yesterday urged the government to sanction more projects and allocate funds in the next national budget for development of 'neglected' Satkhira.

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Jubo Dal leader held in JhenidhaJoint forces arrested former Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader and current district Jubo Dal leader Monwar Hossian, 30, on Tuesday night from Adarsha para in Jhenidha.

How will history remember the Blair era?After months of speculation by the media, Tony Blair announced last Thursday that he would step down from the party leadership and British Prime Ministership on June 27, having been a decade in power.

Kamruzzaman Moni honouredSargam, a monthly cultural magazine, honoured Ustad Kamru-zzaman Moni, a veteran tabla player on his 81st birthday on May 22, says a press release. The programme was held at the National Press Club.

Expat woman found dead in drumA young expatriate woman was found dead in a drum at Jatrabari in the city on Tuesday night. The victim was identified as Afroza Akhter Polly, 26, of Fatulla in Narayanganj.

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PatricideA man was killed allegedly by his son as he refused to allow a female worker to continue her job at his factory at Lalbagh in the city yesterday, police said.

Law and order under controlLaw and order situation in the capital remains under control at present and the number of certain types of crime has fallen, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Naim Ahmed said yesterday.

6 killed, dozens injured in Ankara bombingA powerful bomb ripped through a commercial district in the Turkish capital during evening rush hour Tuesday, killing six people, including one Pakistani national, and injuring more than 70.

Eliminate cluster bombs, urge 6 Nobel laureatesJody Williams and five other female Nobel prize laureates on Tuesday urged civilians to press for the elimination of cluster bombs, which cripple children and others long after the fighting has stopped.

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US let democracy wither in Pakistan, experts sayThe United States has let democracy wither in Pakistan, experts say, and is now hamstrung as political crisis convulses a nuclear-armed country that stands on the frontlines of the US "war on terror.

Pak CJ's witnesses and lawyers threatenedPeople linked to a legal case involving Pakistan's suspended chief justice are being threatened and intimidated, with one already shot dead and one detained, the judge's main lawyer said yesterday.

Seven killed in Thailand's restive southSeven people including two teenagers have been killed in the Thai south, police said yesterday, while 11 others were injured in a spate of bombings by suspected separatist rebels.

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Mastermind, sniper jailed for Serbian PM's murderA Serbian court yesterday ordered 40 year jail terms for the accused mastermind and sniper behind the 2003 assassination of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic which sparked a major crisis in the Balkan nation.

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Bomb kills two in BaluchistanA time bomb hidden in a shopping bag exploded at a bus stop in gas-rich but restive southwestern Pakistan yesterday, killing two people and injuring two more, police said.

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Yangon arrests another two democracy activistsMyanmar has arrested another two members of the National League for Democracy, the party of detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, activists said yesterday, as a round-up of her supporters continued.

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Asian students singled out in US universityAsian students were singled out in a cheating scandal involving a group of business students at Duke University in the southern US state of North Carolina, their lawyer said Tuesday.

Editorial:Govt's new price control measuresSet against a backdrop of spiralling prices and in light of their latest discussion with wholesale traders the government has decided to implement a seven-point action programme.

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Editorial:Militant threatsThe report that members of the Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh, a banned militant outfit, are now regrouping themselves in the remote char areas in the northern region is a harsh reminder of the truth

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Tale of two lettersTwo recent letters have created quite a stir in Bangladesh; each of those, coming from very good friends of Bangladesh, has received two very different kinds of responses, as they ought to have, merited

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Time for America to retreatAmerica has begun talking to Syria and Iran something it had avoided for long. But these are early, rather shy, talks and nothing much seems to have come out of even the recent Sharam-al-Shaikh conference.

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India wants a seat at the tableIndia is the world's second most populous country, with 1.1 billion people, and the seventh largest in area (3,166,829 square kilometers).